Scientific Lead - Research Scientist II - Cancer Care

Interested in leading system transformation to improve patient outcomes and experiences in Cancer Care Alberta (CCA)? Have experience in evaluating patient experience, conducting applied research or leading implementation science research studies? Want to apply your academic skills from within the healthcare system? CCA is currently searching a Research and Evaluation Scientific Lead (SL) to join our amazing team. Reporting to the Executive Director of the Supportive Care Services and Patient Experience (SCSPE) the SL will nurture and lead an innovative, provincial, multidisciplinary applied research program with a with a focus on enhancing operational capacity for person-centred care delivery across CCA. The SL will engage different types of research, led by different Supportive Care, Applied Research and Palliative Research teams already collaborating across the portfolio. You will foster accountability and leadership oversight to ensure research on areas of particular interest to the operational program occurs and processes to move relevant findings to practice are in place. Crucially, you will build on the strengths of this solid research foundation, design and implement a research to practice pipeline implementing an effective model to advance quality, research, and innovation within SCSPE. The SL will also ensure strong systematic governance to monitor performance, establish targets and ensure operational alignment that supports innovation. As a key member of the operational leadership team the SL must have a deep understanding of the complexity of the cancer patient experience, possessing both qualitative and quantitative research expertise and understand principles of change management, knowledge translation and implementation science. Join our team and make difference in the fight against cancer in a supportive, progressive and flexible work environment.

The primary focus of the SL across the SCSPE portfolio is to nurture and lead an innovative, provincial, multidisciplinary applied research program with a focus on person-centred care. Aligned with the “Research in Action” area of focus described on the CCA 5-year strategic roadmap, the Scientific Lead will accelerate the pace and impact of research and innovation embedded within CCA, with the goal of improving outcomes and experiences of Albertans diagnosed with cancer. The accountabilities will span the development of a Research and Evaluation framework that will outline how operational leaders, clinicians/practitioners, patients/families and researchers will collaborate to identify knowledge gaps related to the provision of supportive care and improving the patient experience, determine approaches for filling those gaps (maybe with a combination of synthesizing existing information and doing/leading studies if evidence does not exist), identify and work with academic and clinical partners to conduct research and evaluation across the supportive care domains that is aligned with the needs of CCA, lead teams to seek and obtain external funding, support the integration of research into practice and to present research findings and data analysis in a way that can be used by decision makers and operational leaders. This SL will also assume responsibility for the scientific program of research underway within the Applied Research and Patient Experience portfolio, including CCA’s Patient Reported Outcomes and Experience Measurement research program, as well as a newly funded implementation science study that will evaluate the clinical and economic benefits of remote symptom monitoring in Medical Oncology ambulatory clinics across CCA. The SL is a hybrid position that must reside in Alberta but can operate remotely and/or on site subject to operational requirements.

Doctorate in a scientific discipline in health sciences (e.g. Nursing, Psychology, Rehabilitation, Palliative Care, population health, community health sciences, public health). Note the SL role is flexible and can work out of any CCA site across Alberta that includes the new state of the art Arthur Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre (AC) opening in October of 2024.

Minimum 5 years experience obtaining external research funding, overseeing multidisciplinary research teams, conducting program evaluations, implementation science, managing budgets, conducting research studies, related quality Improvement work, disseminating research evaluation results. Experience in Oncology clinical care settings. Experience in Supportive Care. Experience leading and mentoring staff and trainees. Eligible for an academic appointment.

Postdoctoral training in a scientific discipline related to the doctorate training. The CCA is passionate about cancer research, innovation and patient care. The CCA has 2 tertiary cancer centres including the Arthur Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Calgary and the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton as well as 4 regional centres in Grand Prairie, Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge.